Athletic Club aims to capitalize on Real Madrid’s three-game league winless run when the two clubs clash at the San Mames on Wednesday evening, hoping to pile more misery on Xabi Alonso’s side.
Athletic Club will be hoping to take advantage of Real Madrid’s recent LaLiga woes when the clubs clash at the San Mames on Wednesday evening, according to a report from FotMob.
The home side recorded a 2-0 victory against Levante over the weekend, while Madrid was held 1-1 by struggling Girona, marking the third successive league game where they have shared the spoils.
Athletic Club has endured a mixed start to the season and is sitting eighth in the table, having lost six of their 14 matches thus far.
The Basque side is currently 11 points adrift of a top four position. Their recent form includes two domestic victories sandwiched around a dispiriting 4-0 humbling by Barcelona and a 3-2 loss to rivals Real Sociedad.
Only Nico Williams, Gorka Guruzeta, and Robert Navarro have scored more than twice for the club this season.
For Real Madrid, there might never be a better time to face Los Blancos, as the home side has won just four times against Madrid since the start of the 2015/16 season, with only two of those victories coming in LaLiga.
Manager Xabi Alonso is under pressure after a strong start—ten wins across their opening 11 league ties (with the only loss being a 5-2 reverse against Atlético Madrid)—has been followed by three consecutive league draws and a loss against Liverpool in the Champions League.
Alonso’s men also looked unconvincing in the 4-3 win over Olympiacos last week, relying on the brilliance from Kylian Mbappé to see them over the line.
Further complicating matters is the news of Vinícius Júnior halting contract talks due to an alleged fallout with the manager.
In team news, Athletic Club will welcome back Íñigo Ruiz de Galarreta from suspension but will be without Oihan Sancet (banned), Beñat Prados, Unai Egiluz, Maroan Sannadi, and Robert Navarro (injured).
Iñaki Williams is a doubt, having missed the previous seven games. For Madrid, the injury crisis is easing, with Éder Militão and Antonio Rüdiger returning against Girona, and Eduardo Camavinga potentially returning to the starting XI.
FotMob predicts a tight affair, backing Athletic Club 1 – 2 Real Madrid as a final score.